A Bitter Cycle
by melodicConvergence
Summary: I, Zelda Harkinian, am the best wingwoman in existence. Here's how it works. People come to me with romance problems, I give my advice, they don't follow it, they get hurt, I comfort them, they swear that I'm always right, it repeats. Link Forester, my main client, is a chief example of this bitter cycle. Could the cycle change if the wingwoman develops feelings for a client?
1. A Bitter Cycle

**A/N: As this is my first time writing a fanfiction, I feel like I should address that fact.**

**This is my first Fanfiction.**

**Okay, that's done.**

**My favorite color is pink and I hate curse words with a passion, so that should do with introductions. I'm sure you're great, but we don't have time for that right now! It's story time****!!**

**(I also don't own _The Legend of Zelda,_ in case that was a question.)**

I have a chief calling in life: I am one of the greatest wingwomen (female wingmen) you will ever have the opportunity to see. So, you're welcome for that. I should really get business cards. I am the person who people (mainly my guy friends) come to for relationship advice. I have helped quite a few of my friends get girlfriends, get the tact involved with asking someone about that particular subject, ask people to dances, you name it, I've helped someone with it.

If I have a bad feeling about something, whether it be from the beginning or some point in the middle, I tell whoever is asking for help. If the person is smart, he or she will abandon ship _(See what I did there?)_ and move on, because if I have a bad feeling, the relationship is 99% of the time doomed from the start. It's when people _don't_ follow my advice when they get hurt. I'll say something, they do the other, and I comfort them while thinking, _I told you so, but I'm still gonna help you through it because I'm your friend, and that's what nice friends do. _They then get over it, swear that I'm always right, and go on with their lives until they don't follow my advice again and get hurt once more.

'Tis a bitter cycle.

But I'm all for free agency. We all have the ability and opportunity to choose what we want to do. Some choices are just... _better_ than others. I'm not here to say which choices are right, I'm just here to offer my right- I mean... _humble-_ opinion.

The reason I'm incessantly ranting is because of one of my current clients who is a very good friend. Let me just tell you about this friend. He's great and I _platonically_ love him. However, he's _such_ an idiot. In the ways of romance and things, he is only semi-literate, and _I _am the one who he comes to for help.

_Welcome to my TED Talk._

**A/N: I swear I'm trying. I'm not usually the writer of the group, because that's where my brother falls. I hope you stick around for more!**


	2. A Bitter Beginning

**A/N:** **So, I was a turkey and never clarified it, but this is in a real-world AU in which the characters all attend a specialized school. An academy, if you will. The characters range from around 14 to 16, with Link and Zelda being the oldest. (If someone differs in this, I will point it out.) Sorry for never pointing that out!!**

To start a sequence of flashbacks, Link and I met a little over a year ago when we were both 15. We were both accepted to the, very prestigious, **Academy of Hyrule** a year prior as freshmen in high school. We all live in dorms with a roommate. I live in the Hylia dorm building with my best friend, Midna. We've known each other for our whole lives, and applied to the Academy together. I have a focus on academics, and I'm also in the drama club, currently excelling in all the lead roles, not to brag or anything. Midna, while having no trouble with academics, has her focus on art. That girl can _art._ She has the best paintings I've ever seen!

As high school students attending an academy that already has very high academic standards, we all have lots and lots of rigorous homework to do. That's not to mention our extracurriculars that we specialize in (for example, drama for me and art for Midna). Because of that, the administration didn't think that the students were bonding enough. To fix this _dire_ problem, they decided to have everyone in the school attend a (_required_, mind you) 3-day, 2-night campout and hiking trip. We were organized into "Families," our "Parents" being teachers and their spouses. Each "family" had seven or eight kids in it, and we all had to stay together through the hiking. My family had some... interesting characters in it, but we shall only focus on one of my seven siblings:

Link's younger brother, Colin.

This was the first time I had met Colin (_before_ I met Link, actually), since he was a freshman. Despite how I built this up, he is very nice! His focus is band. This kid is a master of playing the tuba. Like, he can nail a quick solo that is literally just sixteenth notes, and this scrawny, but still tall, kid is playing the **_tuba._** It's the biggest instrument, and normal bands just have tubas play like... whole notes and half notes. His mastery astounds me.

Anyway!

We became really good friends over the course of our hiking trip. I also found out that he is from the same town/very good friends with another freshman who I had met previously! She and I became best friends, and I encouraged her to apply to the Academy. Her name is Agitha. Young (but only a year younger than me) and spritely, she's insanely intelligent in the fields of biology and anatomy. The girl also has an insane obsession with bugs, but hey, to each his or her own. As a plus, she is also really good with art, since she can draw the bugs really well. I helped her decorate her dorm room a little bit before the trip, and she has breathtaking paintings of her pet bugs that she studies. I usually think that bugs are creepy, but she makes them appealing to any eye. _And_ sometimes creepy. Like, she can make bugs be pretty, but sometimes her detail work goes a little to the... _extreme._

The first night, we had all set up our tents, and were just hanging out, when Colin and Agitha just _had_ to introduce me to someone who I would become instant friends with. They excitedly sat me down and told me to wait until they came back. I sat and waited as I was told until they came back with someone I thought I had seen around campus a few times. _But what class did I have with him?_

The trio was running up to me. "Zelda! Zelda!" Agitha yelled as they came to halt in front of me. I stood as they pushed their friend forward. "Zelda! This is Link! He's Colin's older brother, and you two are in the same grade! You guys should be friends because _he's_ my friend and _you're_ my friend, so it just makes sense."

Link was a good deal taller than my whopping 5'5 that I brought to the table. His frame was slim, but not too skinny and not too muscly, either. His eyes were a light blue. His skin had a light tan. He was obviously outside a good deal. His hair was long, unruly, and blonde (which is something that Midna and I didn't think looked great, but he made it look good), all tied back into a low ponytail. He had on a green shirt and a green baseball cap. _Huh. His shirt says that he's on the Cuckoo Throwing team. But what is that darn class we have together?!_

I put my hand out to greet him, "Hello, Link! I'm Zelda Harkinian, upcoming Sophomore specializing in drama. It's a pleasure to meet you!" _Please_ don't think I'm bragging. At this school, it's customary to say your grade and specialty upon meeting someone.

He smiled, "It's nice to meet you, too, Zelda! I'm Link Forester, upcoming Sophomore specializing in band."

I could feel the smile quickly plaster my face at his mention of band. I nearly yelled, "Oh my goodness!! What instrument do you play?!"

"Trombone!"

Before we could say anything else, Agitha piped up. She nudged Link's arm and quickly whispered, "Zelda plays flute _and_ piccolo, but she's pretty low profile on it so _shhhhh_..." Oh, Agitha. So silly. I don't care if people know, but it's just not something I really get recognized for, ya know? Even so, I instinctively reached for a strand of hair to mindlessly twirl around my fingers as something to distract me while my face was the picture of, "Thank you_ so _much for sounding like you're boasting for me, my dearest Agitha."

Link turned to Agitha with a smile on his face, "I like this person. She seems really nice!"

Agitha beamed, "She's definitely one of my favorite people."

They simultaneously looked back at me as I lightly tugged my imaginary skirt in a small, comedic curtsy, accompanied with a clumsy laugh. "Thank you, both, for your compliments! Agitha, you're definitely one of my favorite people, too."

Link did a slight bow back while Agitha jumped up (keep in mind that she's a deal shorter than me) and gave me a big, tight bear hug.

I span her around amid her yelps of joy and put her down back where she was before: the "Introducing People Spot" in the middle of me and Link.

**_..._**

The next morning, to our chagrin, we all awoke. With tired grunts and groans and trapped in tents with the family members who we had never met, we bade what drowsy greetings we could and got started with our second, and longest, day of hiking. Before that, though, we needed to cook breakfast. We girls emerged from our tent before our boy siblings _and_ our _parents_. Well... _parent_. _Singular._ Our hiking father was our principle, Rauru Luz. One of the couples cancelled late, and Mrs. Luz couldn't get the time off, so we had a single dad for 3 days. It's actually been kinda fun, because he's much nicer than anyone thought, but the poor guy's also diabetic. _Diabetic. On a 3-day hike._ _Where we had to have all our stuff in handcarts and pull it with us. Ya know what thing we always had to have in our cart? **CANDY! IN CASE HIS BLOOD SUGAR DROPPED!** But ya know what did drop? Him! He fell multiple times yesterday! Do you know how scary that is to a poor student like me who is just trying to get this over with?! They've already dubbed me "the responsible sibling" in this family of strangers, so if this guy dies, it's on me! Okay, okay. I'll stop ranting. Sorry. On with the story._

So the girls in the Luz family woke up the boys. We spoke to them and hit the outside of their tent. They finally woke up, and we ran into Trial number 1: Building a Fire So we Can Eat. Colin stepped up, "Okay. Does anyone know how to build a fire? We have some charcoal provided for us."

One of my siblings raised his hand as an affirmative, and I stepped in, too, so I could help. I know a thing or two about building fires!

With much difficulty, since it had rained buckets the day before, we started the fire. While it was performing its crackling dance, we realized that all the other families had already had their fires started and had started eating breakfast. Darn it. We're on a schedule and we don't even have breakfast made! We hurriedly put our breakfasts together and stuffed our faces, since today was our longest day of hiking.

**_Okay, I'm so so sorry that I haven't gotten a chapter out. I've had finals and things, and also my first nephew was born so I think that counts for something, at least. (He's adorable, by the way.) Please don't hate me._**

**_ Keep sparkling._**


	3. A Bit of an Epiphany

This, even though it had been the longest day of hiking, was pretty uneventful. Oh wait. One of my pseudo-siblings went home because he ate something he was allergic to. Kudos to you, bro. Did I mention that it had rained buckets all day yesterday? Well, it did again today, and probably harder. Mud caked our hiking boots and we all took involuntary rain showers in the woods.

Breaks were taken throughout the day that consisted of me, Link, Agitha, Colin, and Midna sitting on whatever we could find and taking the time to talk to each other. However, most of the time, Colin was off talking to some girls. They flock to him, and much of our breaktime was spent laughing at that fact. I aired to them (sans Colin, of course) my frustrations about how none of my faux-siblings (again, sans Colin) would take turns pulling at the front of the cart that held our belongings and my grievances about how _everyone_ was over playing that _infernal_ Bunny Bunny Game. It's like Down By the Banks, but worse.

"They _chant_ and sound like they are summoning the Bunny Demon to **_LITERALLY COME AND ANNIHILATE US, BUT I WILL BRING MY FURY TO THESE INFURIATING CHILDREN WHO CANNOT SEEM TO FIND A BETTER WAY TO PASS THE TI-!"_**

"Now now, Zelda.". I was cut off by Link. "We wouldn't want the administration to think you need counseling or anything." Link and Agitha gently pull me down to my seat. I didn't even realize I had stood up.

"I guess you're right," I say. Stupid Link. He never liked it when I got mad. _I'm not mad. I'm just very enthusiastic._

"It is really annoying, though," Midna grumbles.

Through the rest of the day, we hike, get rained on, pull our carts, and grumble about the annoying Bunny Demon game. Finally, we arrive at the new campsite for the night, set up shop, and eat dinner. As it was our last night on our trip, many of the students hung out in the little pavilion we had eaten dinner in. I saw one of my sisters making quesadillas with string cheese and tortillas in the fire, which is pretty genius, I might add. She was a cooking specialist, after all.

At this celebration of the last night, Link and I got to talk a little while Midna accompanied Agitha on her search for some bug she had wanted to capture.

Talking with Link was really nice. He's such a kind person, and I think we can both tell that we were meant to be really good friends. And, it's hard to explain, but our friendship had progressed so much quicker than one would expect. The same goes for all the new friendships that had formed in our group. Being on a rainy trudge through the woods really changes you.

But back to our conversation: we were talking about our friends. We had quickly formed a little group here, but Link had told me about one of his best friends, Saria, who he spoke very fondly about.

"We've gone to school together for so long, and she's just the best, Zelda."

"Does she go here?"

He nodded.

"Why haven't you introduced me to her? Shouldn't she be here?" I looked around to try and find this mystery girl.

"She goes to our school, but her family had pre-arranged a vacation for this week. She got clearance from the school that she didn't have to come." His face looked a little dreamy as he spoke about her, an absentminded smile, faraway eyes, and a somewhat melancholic tone graced his features. _He must be a little sad that Saria's not here._

"Lucky her, " I grumble.

Link scoffs in his taken offense, "Hey! We got to be friends thanks to this trip!"

I wave him off, "Oh, please. Agitha would've introduced us sooner or later."

I could feel him deflate next to me, "Well, I guess you're right."

"Of course I am!" We both chuckle a little bit, then I ask, "Is this Saria the same year as us? What's her specialty?"

He nods and gains that look again, "Yes, she's the same year as us. Her specialty is botany. That girl has always loved plants."

"I see..." This is suspicious. Wait... _Wait...__ I know this look! I'm no idiot! I'm the best darn wingwoman this world has ever seen! He **likes** her!_

"Link?"

It takes him a second to acknowledge me, "Hm?"

"You like her, don't you?" I lean forward and eagerly await his answer.

He sighs in defeat, and gives me the look that says _I know I won't be able to get you off the subject. You win this time._ (To which I reply with a look of my own that says, _Oh please. I always win. He rolls his eyes.) _"Yeah. I've liked her for a few years now, but I don't know how to app-"

"LINK! ZELDA! I FOUND THE BUG!" Our spritely bug enthusiast sprinted over with Midna not too far behind, cupping in her hands some monstrosity that I did not prefer to look at.

Link and I gave our own _Congrats! That's awesome!_ to her, but I knew exactly what was going on with Link. I would evaluate and help him through it, because that's the kinda person I am, even though I don't have the greatest feeling about how this is gonna turn out...

**...**

Among the hullabaloo, we -Link, Agitha, Midna, Colin, and me- all got a really good opportunity to get to know each other and become really fast friends over the course of the trip. So I guess it wasn't all pointless.

The last day went smoothly with little rain and an easy trail to traverse. We all went to our respective homes to recuperate before school started back up the next week.

**_Sorryyy sorry sorry! I should've gotten this out earlier, especially with added free time due to coronacation. I really don't have any sort of excuse, and I don't know when I'll be able to get the next chapter out, but I hope it's soon! We'll see what the future holds! Anyway, thank you to those who are reading my story! I hope it can bring you some joy!_**

**_Until next time, keep twinkling!_**


End file.
